Introduction to the work with the package InstalSystem 5
| Product | InstalSystem 5 |
| Type of article | DESIGNING LESSON |
| Source for translation | 2022-02-23 |
Range of lesson
This article presents general information on the working environment offered by InstalSystem 5 and describes the basic steps in design when using this software. The package is composed of Manager and Editor. Simultaneously, only one instance of Manager but more than one Editor may be turned on. For this reason, saving files, as opposed to loading files, is possible only with Editor. All program functionalities are accessible within one Editor (as opposed to v4)
.
Modules and program configuration
- InstalSystem 5 in a configuration suitable for preparing a given project.
- Internet connection
The videos present the topics described in this article, but they aren’t a recording of this lesson.
Steps to perform
Preparing the working environment
Gaining access to the application
First it is necessary to gain access to the program installation file, which may be downloaded from our website: Installation files.
Installation, activation, updating
Having downloaded the installation file, it is necessary to save it on the local file and then install it via the "Install" button.
The package requires installation on the user's computer and its activation. To activate standard licences, it is necessary to have a proper licence number. Trial version activation does not require any licence number. Currently available trial versions of the InstalSystem 5 package are available on our website: Trial versions.
Before installing, make sure your computer meets the system-hardware requirements specified in:
Package technical specifications.
For more information, see: Installation, activation and update InstalSystem 5 package.
Opening a project file and managing projects
Creating a new project or opening an existing project
Run the applcation - to do so, expand the Start menu, find the correct InstalSystem 5 package and run InstalSystem Manager 5.
- New project - when opening a new file, you can indicate a template to be used in the project and select one of the downloaded program revisions to work with the file. We recommend using the most recent revision of the program.
- Open project - when opening an existing project file, you can select the program revision to further process the file. This enables working with the project using the program revision under which the project was first created.
InstalSystem 5 also reads files created with InstalSystem 4.
For more information, see: Design based on a project file from InstalSystem 4
Managing project files
All details to be found in Project and application management
Working with the project
General data
In the first stage of working with the project, general data are set and default settings, which are used throughout the project, are verified.
Template:For more information, see: General data.
Basic components of graphic editing environment
The basic locations where project data are edited are the 2D editor and Data table windows. How to open or change the location of these windows within the screen is described in: Software configuration. The most important functions are accessible through the Main tools bar and through the pop-up menu displayed after pressing the right mouse button. The pop-up menu is context-dependent - its availability and content depend on the location within the screen or object being indicated.
Software configuration
The InstalSystem 5 package may be configurated on various levels, thus granting possibility to be adjusted according to the user's requirements. For more information, see: Software configuration.
Setting up the building structure
The building structure forms a base for creating the system design. The building may consist of several storeys. A separate drawing sheet in the form of a plan is created automatically for every storey. In this sheet, components of the building structure and of the system under design within that storey can be edited. The individual domains of the project are edited on separate tabs (layers), whereas the entire building and all of its systems designed form one consistent and integrated project.
There are several methods of preparing the building structure for the design. Selection of the method depends on available building structure and plan source data; furthermore, it depends on the scope of project to be prepared. Based on the aforementioned, we may define the structure as:
- "Arrangement of rooms" in case only rooms are contoured
- "Full builidng structure" or "building strucutre" for a building with walls, ceilings etc.
For more information, see: Preparation of building structure
For more information, see: Import underlay files
Verification of the correctness of building structure
For more information, see: Verification of the correctness of building structure
For more information, see: view navigation in the graphical editor
Installation editing
The basic way to enter data of the system under design in InstalSystem 5 is graphical editing. Designing consists in placing objects (installation components) in the drawing and making appropriate connections between them. Work is done on plan views of the building storeys. The installation thus created can then be modified in any way, its fragments can be copied, and other operations can be made on it.
- The software package offers a number of functions that support graphical editing, reduce the scope and time of necessary manual operations at this stage of design. Some components may be inserted or generated automatically. It is also possible to insert and edit groups of components.
- There is a range of predefined graphical objects that can be used in the project. Examples: 'Drawing chart', where designer data can be entered and which can be used when printing the project, or interactive elements, such as 'Manifold table' and Label. Upon assigning them to defined system components, they will automatically display current data of these components.
- It is particularly straightforward and problem-free to make all kinds of modifications to the project - the ergonomics and ease of calculation of the modified design is one of the biggest advantages of the working environment of InstalSystem 5.
- The program automatically indicates ordinates of horizontal pipe-run sections on the basis of ordinates of elements that connect the pipe-runs. In addition, the user may correct vertical layout of pipe-runs. by changing its properties in the general data table. Indication of ordinates is performed by checking connections, which is always the first phase of calculations; such calculations may also be activated manually.
Examples of editing are shown in the films below.
Detailed information on Installation edit, in the context of the type of system being designed or calculations performed, is given in the descriptions of program applications - see: DESIGN APPLICATIONS.
Verification of the correctness of installation structure
Before detailed component data are appended it is a good idea to check the structure of the system and component connections. Corrections made to the structure may cause changes or even removal of some of the components, then the time spent on entering data would be lost. The following tools are available:
- The tool that enables checking connections between system components in the project is the Check connections function, which is also available through the keyboard shortcut Shift+F2.
- The tool that enables visual verification of the installation structure is, as is the case with building structure verification, the 3D view. The 3D view can be enabled permanently, which allows verifying system correctness continuously during editing. In this case it is particularly advantageous to work using two display monitors simultaneously. Note, however, that using 3D view slows down the program. When working on a slow computer or working with a large project, it is better to enable 3D view only to verify the status of the project, and to do the design work without opening the 3D view window.
Component data edit
Every component in the project has its set of data. Editing these data is possible in the Data table after marking that component. The Data table can be toggled on/off by selecting it in the Windows menu on the toolbar or using the F12 key.
- A significant portion of the data of new components placed in the drawing is appended automatically. This highly facilitates work on the project. The range of automatically appended data differs depending on the type of component and on other factors.
- The basic mechanism in this area is propagation of General data
- Some data are established based on component location and size / shape of component placed in the drawing
- Many detailed data of components that are associated with catalogue data and have a specified catalogue type are read from the catalogue.
- Any default data can be overwritten with other data at any time. Information on whether the current value is derived from the or is another type of default data, or whether it is a user-defined value, is in the form of an icon placed to the right of the data field in the Data table. Clicking this symbol changes the data status. In particular it enables reverting to the Default status.
- A Computer symbol indicates a default value
- A Pencil symbol indicates a user-specified value
- A Computer symbol indicates a default value
- Data of any component can be entered or modified at any moment when working with the project.
- Component data can be edited right after placing the component in the project, and this is recommended for some components. This particularly applies to these components that do not depend on other drawing components and the number of which in the project is low.
- In the case of components the number of which is high it is advisable to edit their data at one stage to take advantage of group editing. To this end it is necessary to press and hold the Ctrl key and click every component to be marked or use the tools for multiple selection of elements. For more information, see: Selecting and editing multiple elements
Calculations and diagnostics
Calculations include all operations necessary to obtain complete results: data propagation, component sizing, engineering calculations and automatic graphical editing. All data that have an effect on the selected scope of the project are taken into consideration: general data, building data, drawings of the system under design, parameters of components used to construct the system taken from catalogues. This means that the program automatically provides high level of completeness and consistency of data and results. This approach greatly facilitates reverting to any of the previous stages of editing - after changing selected data, calculations can be conducted again to obtain complete and current results. Ease of reverting provides great comfort and speed of work in the context of calculating various design options, taking into account the changing requirements of the project developer or changes in the structure of the building introduced during the design of the installation.
Running calculations - the Calculations section of the Main tools bar contains tools that enable starting and managing calculations. Calculations can be made for for all selected project scopes, in the depicted order (downwards), or for selected scopes. Calculation modules have been indicated with the red frame.
In the Calculations section of the Main tools toolbar, the following icons are present:
- Generate walls and slabs from rooms and building contour.For more information, see: Manual editing of rooms and automatic identification of walls and slabs on an underlay
- Check connections. For more information, see: Verification of the correctness of building structure
- Interactive radiant systems calculations.For more information, see: Interactive radiant systems calculations
Diagnostics and error list - Viewing and handling diagnostic messages
Results - Presentation of the calculations result
Preparation of drawings for export/printing
For more information, see: Preparation of drawings for export / import
Export/print results and drawings
Result tables and drawings can easily be printed or exported in one of the many available formats. In order to obtain printouts of drawings with results or of results tables as well as their export, it is necessary to enable proper program windows: "2D editor", "3D view", "Printouts" and to perform further actions in these windows.
- Print tables and lists - it is possible to create and save your own printouts and print results of calculations directly on the printing device or export to selected format.
- Print drawings - it is possible to determine the layout of graphic print pages and print drawings from project directly on the printing device or export to selected format.
For more information, see: Export / Print results and drawings.